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Kumara Times, Issue 440, 22 February 1878, Page 2

We are not in the habit, as are some of our contemporaries, of clipping a leader holus-bolus from another journal, and then adding the profoundly original remark “ them’s our sentiments !” But there must be exceptions to every rule, and we now make one in favor of the following from the Dunedin Morning Herald.—•

That the intelligence department known as the Press Agency should be so defective is a discredit to our Colony. Many of its agents are incompetent of judging what is news of public importance and what is offensive trash. ; Telegrams from Europe of special interest appear in the Argus in Melbourne which the Agent neglects to send on, and we have to wait for the arrival of a steamer before we can publish them. From the towns in the North Island, Wellington included, come telegrams we are ashamed to produce after paying for their transmission. Fictitious statements were a short time since sent from Wellington about Sir George Grey, reflecting no credit on the head of the service who could allow their being sent. It is certainly time the Agency reformed itself, otherwise the Press of the Colony in self-defence will have to take the work of reform into their own hands.

Our contemporary is perfectly right, and we trust the opinions it expresses will be endorsed and supported by every paper in the colony. The question is one that concerns newspaper proprietors, editors, and the general public, all of whom are interested in securing not only the latest, but the most correct information. It may be news to some of our contemporaries to know that, in addition to the stupidity too frequently characterizing the compilation of the Associated Press telegrams in Wellington, there is good ground for suspecting that they are manipulated in Australia in the interests of certain persons whom it might be injudicious to particularize. The result is that the most important items reach New Zealand at secondhand. This is a matter with respect to which the Press of the Colony should take united action ; and we hojie that the Morning Herald, having set the ball rolling, will assist in keeping it going until there is a radical change for the better.

[Since the above was written this morning's Grey River Argus has come to hand, one of the first paragraph’s in which is the following:—

We regret that we were made the victims of an imposition by the Press Agency yesterday, to the extent of having to publish, on an authority which we have generally supposed to be reliable, an absolute untruth. We were informed, and in our confidence we published the statement as a fact, that Sir George Grey was received with very scant courtesy at Westport, and that he landed almost without public recognition. We have since ascertained that tills is absolutely false ; and that every possible respect was paid to the Premier, and his party in Ills landing and during his stay.

This exposure of the manner in which the Press Agency is conducted is so Apropos of what we have written that comment is unnecessary.]

At the R.M. Court yesterday, George Meara and Frank Baxter, for committing a breach of the peace in view of a constable, were each fined 10s and costs, with the usual alternative. John Hoper, for being drunk and incapable, was similarly dealt with. The Kumara Volunteer Fire Brigade had another fine practice, under Captain Kang, last night. After the ordinary drill had been satisfactorily gone through, the men were put through competition practice in anticipation of a friendly contest with the Hokitika Brigade, when everything was done very smartljjLajid in quick time.

The Working Committee of the Fire Brigade will meet at Cowlishaw and Plaisted’s this evening, to arrange for receiving the Premier.

P. A. F. Birch Esq., has been appointed principal Clerk for the judicial district of Westland under the Miners Act, 1877.

In the Warden’s Court yesterday the adjourned case of alleged encroachment at Dunedin Flat was dismissed on the merits, and the case of Wessels v. Berry, dissolution of pertnership, met with a similar fate. After disposing of the mining applications, the Court adjourned for a week.

The lecture delivered by the Rev. G. W. Russell, of Hokitika, on the “Life and poetry of Sir Walter Scott,” at the Public Hall last evening, was attended by a small but thoroughly appreciative audience. The lecturer is an enthusiastic admirer of Sir Walter Scott, and gave several selections from his works in a manner that showed a keen sense of the humorous, and of the pathetic. The lecturer was greatly indebted to the assistance of several lady vocal araateures, and to Mrs Williams, who kindly presided on the piano during the evening.

A Ball will be held at the Theatre Royal on Monday evening in honor of the visit of the Premier and other Ministers.

We regret to hear that the wife of Mr Anchor expired to-day at noon, after a long and painful illness. Referring to the case of the woman Birt mentioned in our issue of yesterday, this morning’s West Coast Times says:— “A woman named Birt, suffering severely from erysipelas, was brought to town yesterday, by coach from Kumara, having fai her possession a ticket of admission to the hospital signed by some member of the Kumara committee. Dr. Petherstonhaugh seeing that the unfortunate woman was suffering from a contagious disease, was reluctant to admit her to the hospital, as there was no seperate accomodation for such cases, and it was impossible to place her with the other patients. The Mayor, as Chairman of the Board of Health, was communicated with, and subsequently the Chairman of the County Council was consulted. The result was that it was determined to hand the unfortunate creature over to the police. The police made immediate inquiries into the matter, and finally the hospital authorities contrived arrangements for the accommodation of the sufferer, who Is now in the institution, but isolated from the other patients. The curious part of the matter is that the woman had previously travelled from Kumara to the Grey Hospital where she was refused admittance.

Mrs O’Gilvie, wife of a butcher at Fox’s, has been fined £5 for brutally ill-treating a boy, six years of age, whom she had adopted. The child has been restored to its mother.

We are glad to observe that Mr Mallard is to retain the Inspectorship of Police at Dunedin. The Proudfoot clique did their best to drive him out of the place for doing his duty in the rape charge against their “George”; but evidently they have not succeeded this time.

The Otago Daily Times says ;—“lt is stated on good authoity that Mr Donald Reid, M.H.R., intends to resign his seat in the General Assembly.” The amount of gold exported from New Zealand up to 31st December last was 8,646,323 ounces, valued at £33,753,688. It is understood that the Government have at present in the press the Mines Act, 1877, and the regulations and schedules made there-under in pamphlet form, and that it will be published shortly at a low price. This will prove a great convenience to those interested.

Mr J. B. Lopas has been appointed Town Clerk of Ross.

An association for prospecting the Woodstock district has been formed.

Sir George Grey is to address a meeting of the inhabitants of Greymouth on his return from Reefton to-morrow evening, Mr Gisborne, M.H.R., addressed his constituents at Ross this evening. The Government steamer Hinemoa arrived at Hokitika > esterday morning with the Hon. James Macandrew, Minister of Lands, on board. The following appears in the Ross Guardian.—“ Ross has just experienced the pain of a visit from these dancing dervishes, Shipp and Carroll, accompanied by another strolling vagabond, named Fred Bullen. Their specialities are that they have brains in their feet, deceit in their hearts, lies on their tongues, and brass in their faces. Those three blots on the theatrical profession gave two entertainments, and announced a third one for Tuesday night, but on that morning they gave a daylight performance of “Slippery Days,” and slipped away by the morning coach, leaving their creditors lamenting.” Carroll is not unknown in Kumara.

The London correspondent of a contemporary says Another strictly practical application of electricity is much thought of by engineers. Mr Forbes, of Nova Scotia, has patented an idea by which overstrain or weakness in bridges may be

jat once detected, and even localised. A wire is attached to each important member of the structure, and these wires are so arranged that should any abnormal condition arise, the particular wire at the particular spot at once conveys the impression to an annunciator, and by revealing a number of other distinctive marks, at once enables the engineer to proceed to the exact spot. Acknowledging the gift of an American axe from a Sheffield firm, Mr Gladstone writes :—“I am very glad you have added that useful article, the American axe, to the list of our home productions, and I thank you for favouring, me with specimen which seems, with as much trial as I have made, to possess all the merits of the original. I find it necessary to study efficiency in proportion and weight, and it is under this issue that I think the American axe comes out well, especially for soft or free grained woods.